IDC reiterates its 2015 predictions, second place for WP7

Back in March, IDC released a report suggesting that, come 2015, Android would maintain its position as the world’s number one mobile operating system, with Windows Phone 7 pushing iOS aside in order to take second place.

A brand new IDC report suggests that, come 2015, Android will maintain its position as the world’s number one mobile operating system, with Windows Phone 7 pushing iOS aside in order to take second place. You heard me.

Yeah, so, IDC’s predictions haven’t changed much since March, other than a few minor adjustments to percentages and what not. It still reckons RIM will take fourth place.

IDC also predicts that 472 million smartphones will ship this year, compared to 305 million units in 2010. Come 2015, it reckons a whopping 982 million (that’s over double, not “nearly double”, guys) smartphones will ship.

"The smartphone floodgates are open wide," explains Kevin Restivo, senior research analyst with IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. "Mobile phone users around the world are turning in their 'talk-and-text' devices for smartphones as these devices allow users to perform daily tasks like shopping and banking from anywhere.”

Quite why IDC has amended its Windows forecast, for example, from 20.9% to 20.3% is unclear. In any case, we’re already looking forward to the next report.